At The Crossroad Of Fear

While out on the trail around Lake Wilderness yesterday, I was listening to a Fr. Richard Rohr homily. He said something that hit me like a beam of light…

“Are there any other emotions in our country besides anger and fear?”

He went on to say that anger and fear are bottom-of-the-barrel motivators. Yes! I believe this. And I believe there is a better and more beautiful way—a way that is pure and holy and life-giving.

Politicians speak to our fears. That’s how they get our attention. I mean, think about it… really.

They speak to our fears and we listen. They tell us who to blame (the other party and their policies, other nations, other religions, certain groups of people, the “other”).

Having someone to blame converts our fear into something else: anger, hostility, outrage, hatred.

Of course, we all face fear. This is unavoidable. It is our reality.

It is a crossroad. And there is a choice to be made.

I can choose to go the way of anger and hatred (this way feels empowering—transforming the powerlessness feeling of fear into something else, something that feels like control).

The way of anger and hatred seems like the perfect answer, the antidote, the right way.

But there is another way…

The pathway of vulnerability.

One way is broad, and there are many traveling there.

The other way is narrow, and few find it.

Yet there is only one way for those of us who desire to follow Christ.

Think about it.